Garmin eTrexVista User manual

owner’s
manual
and
reference
guide
eTrex VistaTM
personal navigator
®
VistaOMCover.indd 1 9/20/2002, 10:21:29 AM

© Copyright 2001-2002 GARMIN Ltd. or its subsidiaries
All Rights Reserved
GARMIN I ter atio al, I c.
1200 E 151st Street, Olathe, Ka sas 66062 U.S.A.
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]
GARMIN (Europe) Ltd.
U it 5, The Quadra gle, Abbey Park I dustrial Estate, Romsey, SO51 9AQ U.K.
Tel. [phone]
Fax.[phone]
GARMIN Corporatio
No. 68, Ja gshu 2 d Road, Shijr, Taipei Cou ty, Taiwa
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]
Except as expressly provided herei , o part of this ma ual may be reproduced,
copied, tra smitted, dissemi ated, dow loaded or stored i a y storage medium, for
a y purpose without the express prior writte co se t of GARMIN. GARMIN hereby
gra ts permissio to dow load a si gle copy of this ma ual a d of a y revisio to
this ma ual o to a hard drive or other electro ic storage medium to be viewed a d to
pri t o e copy of this ma ual or of a y revisio hereto, provided that such electro ic
or pri ted copy of this ma ual or revisio must co tai the complete text of this
copyright otice a d provided further that a y u authorized commercial distributio
of this ma ual or a y revisio hereto is strictly prohibited.
I formatio i this docume t is subject to cha ge without otice. GARMIN
reserves the right to cha ge or improve its products a d to make cha ges i the
co te t without obligatio to otify a y perso or orga izatio of such cha ges or
improveme ts.
GARMIN®, AutoLocate®, TracBack®, a d Perso al Navigator® are registered
trademarks, CLICK STICK™, eTrex Vista™, a d MapSource™ are trademarks of
GARMIN Ltd. or its subsidiaries a d may ot be used without the express permissio
of GARMIN.
September 2002 Part Number 190-00219-00 Rev. C Pri ted i Taiwa
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i
Tha k you for choosi g the GARMIN eTrex Vista. To
get the most from your ew eTrex Vista, take time to read
through this ow er’s ma ual i order to u dersta d all
of the operati g features. This ma ual is orga ized i to
three sectio s.
The Introduction sectio provides FCC, safety,
warra ty, product registratio i formatio a d the Table
of Co te ts.
The Main Pages sectio (listed i same order as
viewed o scree ) provides details about usi g the fea-
tures of the eTrex Vista accordi g to topic. The expla a-
tio s for each feature i this sectio are divided i to:
(1) A overview that discusses the feature a d how it
fu ctio s a d (2) A detailed Step-by-Step i structio for
usi g the feature.
The Appendices i clude i formatio o items such
as Specifi cations, Accessories, Data Field Defi ni-
tions, MapSource i formatio , a Troubles ooting
Guide a d a Wiring Diagram followed by the Index.
About This
Manual
Introduction
Introduction
190-00219-00_0C.indd i 9/20/2002, 9:53:30 AM

ii
Introduction
FCC Compliance
Statement
The eTrex Vista complies with Part 15 of the FCC
i terfere ce limits for Class B digital devices FOR HOME
OR OFFICE USE. These limits are desig ed to provide
reaso able protectio agai st harmful i terfere ce i
a reside tial i stallatio , a d are more stri ge t tha
“outdoor” requireme ts.
Operatio of this device is subject to the followi g
co ditio s: (1) This device may ot cause harmful i ter-
fere ce, a d (2) this device must accept a y i terfere ce
received, i cludi g i terfere ce that may cause u desired
operatio .
This equipme t ge erates, uses a d ca radiate
radio freque cy e ergy a d, if ot i stalled a d used i
accorda ce with the i structio s, may cause harmful
i terfere ce to radio commu icatio s. However, there
is o guara tee that i terfere ce will ot occur i a par-
ticular i stallatio . If this equipme t does cause harmful
i terfere ce to radio or televisio receptio , which ca be
determi ed by tur i g the equipme t off a d o , the user
is e couraged to try to correct the i terfere ce by o e or
more of the followi g measures:
• Reorie t or relocate the receivi g a te a.
• I crease the separatio betwee the equipme t a d
receiver.
• Co ect the equipme t i to a outlet o a circuit
differe t from that to which the receiver is co -
ected.
• Co sult the dealer or a experie ced radio/TV tech-
icia for help.
The eTrex Vista does ot co tai a y user-service-
able parts. Repairs should o ly be made by a autho-
rized GARMIN service ce ter. U authorized repairs or
modifi catio s could result i perma e t damage to the
equipme t, a d void your warra ty a d your authority to
operate this device u der Part 15 regulatio s.
190-00219-00_0C.indd ii 9/20/2002, 9:54:07 AM

iii
Introduction
WARNING: For use i vehicles, it is the sole respo -
sibility of the ow er/operator of the eTrex Vista to secure
the GPS u it so that it will ot i terfere with the vehicle’s
operati g co trols, obstruct the driver’s view of drivi g
co ditio s, or cause damage or perso al i jury i the
eve t of a accide t. Do ot mou t the eTrex Vista over
air bag pa els or i the fi eld of air bag deployme t. Air
bags expa d with a rapid force that ca propel objects i
their path toward the driver or passe gers causi g pos-
sible i jury. Refer to air bag safety precautio s co tai ed
i the vehicle ow er’s ma ual. Do ot mou t the eTrex
Vista i a place where the driver or passe gers are likely
to impact it i a accide t or collisio . The mou ti g
hardware provided by GARMIN is ot warra ted agai st
collisio damage or the co seque ces thereof.
WARNING: Whe used i vehicles, it is the sole
respo sibility of the driver of the vehicle to operate the
vehicle i a safe ma er, mai tai full surveilla ce of all
drivi g co ditio s at all times, a d ot become dis-
tracted by the eTrex Vista to the exclusio of safe drivi g
practices. It is u safe to operate the co trols of the eTrex
Vista while you are drivi g. Failure by the driver of a
vehicle equipped with a eTrex Vista to pay full atte tio
to operatio of the vehicle a d road co ditio s while the
vehicle is i motio could result i a accide t or colli-
sio with property damage a d perso al i jury.
CAUTION: IT IS THE USER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO
USE THIS PRODUCT PRUDENTLY. THIS PRODUCT IS
INTENDED TO BE USED ONLY AS A TRAVEL AID AND
MUST NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE REQUIRING
PRECISE MEASUREMENT OF DIRECTION, DISTANCE,
LOCATION, OR TOPOGRAPHY. THIS PRODUCT
SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN AID TO DETERMINE
GROUND PROXIMITY FOR AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION.
Do Not Place Unsecured
on the Vehicle Dash
Do Not Mount
Over Air Bag Panels
Do Not Mount in Front of
an Air Bag Field of
Deployment
Warnings
and
Precautions
Do Not Mount Where
Drivers Field of Vision
is Blocked
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iv
Introduction
Warnings
and
Precautions
CAUTION: The Global Positio i g System (GPS) is
operated by the gover me t of the U ited States, which is
solely respo sible for its accuracy a d mai te a ce. The
system is subject to cha ges which could affect the accu-
racy a d performa ce of all GPS equipme t. Although
the eTrex Vista is a precisio electro ic NAVigatio AID
(NAVAID), a y NAVAID ca be misused or misi ter-
preted a d, therefore, become u safe.
MAP DATA INFORMATION: O e of the goals of
GARMIN is to provide customers with the most complete
a d accurate cartography that is available to us at a
reaso able cost. We use a combi atio of gover me tal
a d private data sources, which we ide tify as required
i product literature a d copyright messages displayed to
the co sumer. Virtually all data sources co tai i accu-
rate or i complete data to some degree. This is particu-
larly true outside the U ited States, where complete a d
accurate digital data is either ot available or prohibitively
expe sive.
Software License
Agreement
BY USING THE ETREX VISTA, YOU AGREE TO BE
BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT.
PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.
GARMIN gra ts you a limited lice se to use the soft-
ware embedded i this device (the “Software”) i bi ary
executable form i the ormal operatio of the product.
Title, ow ership rights a d i tellectual property rights i
a d to the Software remai i GARMIN.
You ack owledge that the Software is the property
of GARMIN a d is protected u der the U ited States of
America copyright laws a d i ter atio al copyright trea-
ties. You further ack owledge that the structure, orga iza-
tio a d code of the Software are valuable trade
190-00219-00_0C.indd iv 9/20/2002, 9:54:08 AM

v
Introduction
Software License
Agreement
Maintenance
secrets of GARMIN a d that the Software i source code
form remai s a valuable trade secret of GARMIN. You
agree ot to decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse
assemble, reverse e gi eer or reduce to huma readable
form the Software or a y part thereof or create a y deriva-
tive works based o the Software. You agree ot to export
or re-export the Software to a y cou try i violatio of
the export co trol laws of the U ited States of America.
Cleaning
The eTrex Vista is co structed of high quality materi-
als a d does ot require user mai te a ce other tha
clea i g. Clea the u it usi g a cloth dampe ed with
a mild deterege t solutio a d the wipe dry. Avoid
chemical clea ers a d solve ts that may damage plastic
compo e ts.
Storage
Stori g alkali e batteries i the u it is ot recom-
me ded. To reduce the cha ce for battery leakage, remove
the batteries whe stori g the u it for more tha six
mo ths.
Do ot store the eTrex Vista where prolo ged expo-
sure to temperature extremes may occur (such as i the
tru k of a car) as perma e t damage may result. User
i formatio , such as waypoi ts, routes, etc., is retai ed i
the u it’s memory without the eed for exter al power. It
is always a good practice to back up importa t user data
by recordi g it ma ually.
Water Immersion
The eTrex Vista is waterproof to IEC Sta dard 529
IPX7. It ca withsta d immersio i 1 meter of water for
30 mi utes. Prolo ged submersio ca cause damage to
the u it. After submersio , be certai to remove the bat-
teries a d dry the compo e ts before reuse.
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vi
GARM N
Limited Warranty
This GARMIN product is warra ted to be free from defects i materials or work-
ma ship for o e year from the date of purchase. Withi this period, GARMIN will at
its sole optio , repair or replace a y compo e ts that fail i ormal use. Such repairs
or replaceme t will be made at o charge to the customer for parts or labor, provided
that the customer shall be respo sible for a y tra sportatio cost. This warra ty does
ot cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accide t or u authorized alteratio or repairs.
THE WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES CONTAINED HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE
AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED OR STATU-
TORY, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY ARISING UNDER ANY WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, STATUTORY OR
OTHERWISE. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, WHICH
MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL GARMIN BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER RESULTING FROM THE
USE, MISUSE, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT OR FROM DEFECTS IN THE
PRODUCT. Some states do ot allow the exclusio of i cide tal or co seque tial dam-
ages, so the above limitatio s may ot apply to you.
GARMIN retai s the exclusive right to repair or replace the u it or software or
offer a full refu d of the purchase price at its sole discretio . SUCH REMEDY SHALL
BE YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY.
To obtai warra ty service, co tact your local GARMIN authorized dealer. Or call
GARMIN Customer Service at o e of the umbers show below, for shippi g i struc-
tio s a d a RMA tracki g umber. The u it should be securely packed with the
tracki g umber clearly writte o the outside of the package. The u it should the be
se t, freight charges prepaid, to a y GARMIN warra ty service statio . A copy of the
origi al sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase for warra ty repairs.
Introduction
190-00219-00_0C.indd vi 9/20/2002, 9:54:08 AM

vii
*
*
Serial Number:
Serial Number
Use this area to record the exter al serial umber (8-digit umber located i side
the battery compartme t) i case it is lost, stole , or eeds service. Be sure to keep
your origi al sales receipt i a safe place or attach a photocopy to the i side of the
ma ual.
NOTE: Do not confuse this external serial number with the unit i.d.
number that is displayed in the System Setup Pa e. The internal serial
number is relevant to the operatin software and is required only when
transferrin certain types of GARMIN MapSource Data to your unit.
Product Registration
Help us to better support you by completi g our o -li e registratio today!
Have the serial umber of your eTrex Vista ha dy a d co ect to our website
( www.garmi .com). Look for the Product Registratio li k o the Home Page.
Introduction
Products sold through o li e auctio s are ot eligible for rebates or other special
offers from GARMIN. O li e auctio co fi rmatio s are ot accepted for warra ty
verifi catio . To obtai warra ty service, a origi al or copy of the sales receipt fromfrom
the origi al retailer is required. GARMIN will ot replace missi g compo e ts from a y
package purchased through a o li e auctio .
GARMIN I ter atio al, I c. GARMIN (Europe) Ltd.
1200 East 151st Street U it 4, The Quadra gle, Abbey Park I dustrial Estate
Olathe, Ka sas 66062, U.S.A. Romsey, SO51 9AQ, U.K.
Pho e: 913/397.8200 Pho e: 44/1794.519944
FAX: [phone] FAX: [phone]
GARM N
Limited Warranty
190-00219-00_0C.indd vii 9/20/2002, 9:54:09 AM

viii
Optio s ......................................................27
Main Menu
The Mai Page ...........................................28
Setti g the Correct Time Zo e ..............28
Usi g the Mai Me u ...........................29
Mark Optio s .......................................30-32
Projecti g a Waypoi t ...........................32
Editi g Waypoi ts ................................32
Fi d Optio s ........................................33-40
The Fi d Me u .....................................33
Fi di g a Waypoi t ..............................34
Fi di g a Favorite ................................35
Fi di g a City .......................................35
Fi di g a Exit .....................................36
Fi di g a Poi t of I terest .....................37
Fi di g a Address or I tersectio .......38
Usi g a Goto .........................................40
Routes Optio s .....................................41-46
Creati g a d Usi g A Route ..................41
Editi g a Route ................................42-44
Add/Edit from the Route Map Page ..44-45
Navigati g a Route ................................45
Data Fields for the Route Page ...............46
Tracks Optio s .....................................47-48
Setup Optio s ......................................49-53
Time Page .............................................49
U its Page .............................................50
Display Page .........................................51
Headi g Page ........................................51
I terface Page ........................................52
System Page ..........................................53
Accessories ...........................................54-57
Su a d Moo ......................................54
Cale dar Page .......................................55
Hu t a d Fish Page ...............................56
Area Calculator Page .............................57
Calculator Page .....................................57
Appendices
Appendix A: Specifi catio s .......................58
Appendix B: Accessories ...........................59
Appendix C: Data Field Defi itio s .....60-61
Appendix D: MapSource Setup .................62
Appendix E: Troubleshooti g ...................63
Appendix F: Wiri g Diagram ....................64
Index ...................................................65-71
ntroduction
About This Ma ual .......................................i
FCC Complia ce Stateme t .........................ii
War i gs a d Precautio s .......................ii-iv
Software Lice se Agreeme t ....................iv-v
Mai te a ce ................................................v
Warra ty ................................................vi-vii
Product Registatio ....................................vii
Table of Co te ts .......................................vii
Getting Started
Setup, a d Features .....................................1
Features a d Butto Fu ctio ......................2
Battery I stallatio .......................................3
Backlighti g a d Co trast ...........................3
The Main Pages
Mai Page Basics ..........................................4
Satellite
The Mai Page .............................................5
Optio s ....................................................6-7
Navigating
Navigati g with eTrex Vista .........................8
Map
The Mai Page ........................................9-10
Optio s ................................................11-15
Usi g the Pa Map Optio ...................12
Stop Navigatio ....................................13
Hide/Show Navigatio Status ................13
Hide/Show Data Fields .........................13
Setup ....................................................14-15
The Measure Dista ce optio ................15
Navigation
The Mai Page ...........................................16
Optio s ................................................17-20
Altimeter
The Mai Page ......................................21-22
Plot Over Time/Dista ce .......................22
Optio s ................................................23-25
View Pressure Plots/Elevatio ................23
Zoom Ra ges ........................................23
View Poi ts ...........................................24
Reset .....................................................24
Calibrate Altimeter ................................24
Data Fields ............................................25
Trip Computer
The Mai Page ...........................................26
Table of Contents
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1
Setup
and
Features
Before you begi to explore the eTrex Vista’s operat-
i g features, you should be familiar with the i formatio
co tai ed i the Quick Start which i cludes i structio s
for i stalli g batteries, how the butto s fu ctio , starti g
the eTrex Vista, adjusti g the scree co trast, a d basic
avigatio tech iques to help you start e joyi g your eTrex
Vista immediately.
Six Mai Pages are your primary access to operati g
the eTrex Vista. Each page provides either a basic aviga-
tio fu ctio or access to features which e ha ce aviga-
tio or customize the u it’s operatio .
This ma ual is arra ged o the Mai Pages structure
with detailed i structio s o usi g the eTrex Vista’s features
a d their optio s.
Features include:
Storage for 500 Waypoi ts with ame a d graphic
symbol.
A automatic Track Log with storage capability for
3,000 poi ts, or 10 saved Tracks with 250 poi ts each.
Route buildi g capability, with storage for 20 Routes
with 50 Waypoi ts each.
A Trip Computer for displayi g a variety of avigatio
data such as speed, ETA, ETE, headi g, odometer, etc.
A Elevatio Computer for displayi g total asce t/
desce t, average asce t/desce t, maximum asce t/desce t,
12 hour pressure tre d, a d maximum/mi imum eleva-
tio .
A Fi d Feature for locati g Waypoi ts, Cities,
I terstate Exits, Poi ts of I terest, Street Addresses a d
I tersectio s.*
24 MB of detailed map data storage, allowi g tra sfer
from GARMIN MapSource CD-ROM’s.
Wide Area Augme tatio System (WAAS) capability.**
Getting Started
* Points of Interest, Address,
and Intersection data must be
transferred to the unit using a
GARMIN MapSource CD-ROM.
See page 62 for more informa-
tion.
** About WAAS
Because the Wide Area
Augmentation System (WAAS)
is currently under development
and is not fully supported by
geo-stationary satellites, effective
use of the WAAS feature may be
limited by your geographic loca-
tion in relation to those satellites
now in service.
There are two WAAS satellites
in service in geo-stationary orbit
above the Equator, one over the
Atlantic Ocean and one over the
Pacifi c Ocean.
Currently, WAAS satellite signal
reception requires an absolute
clear view of the sky and works
best when there are no nearby
obstructions such as buildings,
mountains, etc. In fact, you may
not be able to receive or easily
maintain a WAAS satellite signal
until full satellite support for this
program is complete.
Not enabling WAAS when you
cannot receive a signal speeds
unit map drawing and conserves
battery power.
See pages 5 and 53 for enabling
WAAS and satellite reception
techniques.
190-00219-00_0C.indd 1 9/20/2002, 9:54:10 AM

2
Features and
Button
Function
The PAGE butto :
• Press to cycle through mai pages.
• Press a d hold to tur the electro ic compass O /Off.
The POWER butto :
• Press a d hold to tur the u it O /Off.
• Press to toggle display backlighti g O /Off.
The CLICK STICKTM (Five Position Switch)
• Press to e ter highlighted optio s a d to
co fi rm messages
• Move Up/Dow or Right/Left to move
through lists, highlight fi elds, o -scree
butto s, ico s, e ter data or move the map
pa i g arrow
• Press a d hold for two seco ds to mark
your curre t locatio as a waypoi t
Battery
Compartment
Cover
Internal Antenna
LCD
Display
Carry
Lanyard
Slot
Getting Started
NOTE: The eTrex Vista is desi ned to be held
and operated in the left hand, but it can be
held and operated usin the ri ht hand as
well to suit your preference.
The ZOOM IN/OUT butto s:
• Whe o the Map Page, press to
Zoom i a d out.
• Whe o the Satellite Page, press
to adjust the scree co trast
The FIND butto :
• Press to access the Fi d Me u
Power/Data
Connector Cover
External Power and Data Connector
with Ali nment Bar
Pressure
Sensor
Vent
Compass Si htin
Marks
Installin the lanyard
190-00219-00_0C.indd 2 9/20/2002, 9:54:10 AM

3
Installing the Batteries
The eTrex Vista operates o two “AA” batteries ( ot
i cluded), which are located i the back of the u it.
Rechargeable Alkali e, NiMH, NiCad or Lithium batteries
may also be used.
Battery Cover
D-rin
Battery Compartment
Important Note:
When replacing batteries, use
only new or fully recharged
batteries and do not mix
Alkaline, NiMH, NiCad or
Lithium batteries.
Rechargeable batteries may
typically display less capacity
than Alkaline batteries.
Remove the batteries from the
unit if you don t plan to use it
for several months.
Follow the battery manufactur-
ers instructions for proper care
and disposal of used batteries.
When using ‘Battery Saver or
‘Use With GPS Off mode when
not navigating, Alkaline batter-
ies can last up to 12 hours.
Battery
nstallation and
Backlight/Contrast
Getting Started
To install batteries:
1. Remove the battery cover on
the back of the unit. Turn the
D-rin 1/4 turn counter-clock-
wise & pull away clockwise.
2. Insert batteries
observin the
polarity.
3. Reinstall the
battery cover
by turnin the
D-rin 1/4
turn.
Stored data is ot lost whe
the batteries are removed.
Press & Release POWER
Button to turn Backlighting
On/Off
Display Backlighting and Contrast Set Up
If lighti g co ditio s make it hard for you to see the
display scree , you ca adjust the co trast or tur o the
backlight.
To turn on the backlighting:
1. Press the POWER button to turn on the backli ht
from any pa e on the unit. The backli ht remains
on until the set timeout period is completed or the
POWER button is pressed a ain.
The unit is factory set to timeout 15 seconds after
the last button press. (To reset the backli ht time-
out, refer to pa e 51.)
To adjust the screen contrast:
1. When on the Satelllie Pa e, use the ZOOM N or
OUT buttons to adjust the contrast.
Use ZOOM IN & OUT
Buttons to Adjust Contrast
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4
Getting Started
Main Page Basics
All of the i formatio you eed to operate the eTrex Vista ca be fou d o six mai
pages (or display scree s). You ca press a d release the PAGE butto to cycle through
the Satellite Page, Map Page, Navigatio Page, Altimeter Page, Trip Computer, a d Mai
Me u Page.
While these six pages provide you with differe t types of avigatio i formatio ,
they all share commo features like Optio Me us a d a Mai Page Me u, both of
which are accessed by o -scree butto s. To display these me us, highlight the o -
scree butto a d press i o the CLICK STICK
.
Option Menu Button Main Pa e Menu Button
Main Pa e Menu
Use to o directly to a Main
Pa e and as an alternate to
cyclin throu h the Main
Pa es.
Double click the on-screen
button to to le between
two pa es.
Option Menu
These menus provide addi-
tional features or customize
the unit to your preferences.
To exit these and other
pop-up type menus, move the
CLICK STICK to the left
or ri ht.
Satellite Pa e Map Pa e Navi ation Pa e Trip Computer Main Menu
Altimeter Pa e
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5
Satellite
The Main Page
Satellite Pa e
with 9 Satellites Bein
Tracked and WAAS Enabled.
WAAS Satellite is No. 35
and ‘D’ in Si nal Bars for
GPS Satellites
Center (Satellite
overhead)
Status Window
Your location
coordinates
Si nal Stren th bars
On-Screen
Pa e and Option
Menu Buttons
Outer Rin
(Satellites on the
horizon)
Inner Rin (Satel-
lites within 45°
an le from vertical)
The Satellite Page provides a picture of satellite sig al tracki g, tells you whe the
u it is ready for avigatio , a d shows your locatio coordi ates.
The Skyview graphic represe ts a view looki g up at the sky from your curre t
locatio showi g satellites a d their assig ed umbers. The outer ri g represe ts the
horizo arou d you, the i er ri g represe ts a view above you at a 45° a gle from ver-
tical, a d the ce ter represe ts directly overhead. Sig al Stre gth Bars for each satellite
are show just below the Skyview. Satellites a d their sig als appear as hollow shapes
u til a sig al is received a d the they appear darke ed i . The stro ger the sig al, the
taller the sig al bar.
The Wide Area Augme tatio System (WAAS) capability produces a more accurate
positio fi x. Whe e abled (the GPS mode set to ‘Normal’ a d the i terface set to other
tha RTCM mode), this feature searches for a WAAS satellite ear your locatio a d
the receives data for correcti g differe tials i the GPS satellite sig als a d the WAAS
satellite umbers (begi i g at No. 33 or above) display o the Satellite Page. Whe
differe tial correctio data has bee received for GPS satellites ( umbers 32 or below), a
‘D’ displays i the sig al bar be eath the skyview. It is helpful to orie t the u it a te a
toward the WAAS satellite show i the skyview. To lear more about the WAAS
System, access the Federal Aviatio Admi istratio web site (http.//gps.faa.gov/).
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6
Satellite
Because the eTrex Vista relies o satellite sig als to
provide you with avigatio al guida ce, the u it’s view
of the sky determi es how fast you achieve avigatio al
status. GPS sig als do ot travel through rocks, buildi gs,
people, metal, or heavy tree cover so for best results, keep
the u it i clear view of the sky.
At least three satellite sig als are eeded to determi e
your locatio , otherwise the u it displays a “Poor Satellite
Receptio ” message with four optio s a d a brief expla-
atio to guide your decisio :
Use wit GPS Off - Select this optio if you wa t
GPS off (for faster map drawi g).
New Location - Select this optio if you have moved
hu dreds of miles (from where you last used the
u it).
Restart Searc - Select this optio if today is ot
(date provided).
Continue Acquiring - Select this optio if o other
optio applies. (The u it will attempt to gather GPS
sig als.)
The Satellite Page optio s i clude:
Use Wit GPS Off - Use this optio whe you are
i doors, a clear view of the sky is obstructed, or you
wa t to save battery power. You ca e ter data, create
routes, etc., but ca ot avigate i this mode.
Track Up/ Nort Up - You ca orie t the satellite
skyview by selecti g ‘Track Up’ (your directio of
travel) or ‘North Up’ (the satellite skyview orie ted to
the orth).
New Location - If you are more tha 600 miles from
where you last used the u it, select the ‘New Loca-
tio ’ a d the the ‘Use Map’ optio s to approximate
your locatio . This gives the u it refere ce i forma-
tio a d speeds satellite acquisitio .
S ow GPS Elevation - The elevatio as determi ed
by the GPS i formatio received.
There are four options for
the “Poor Satellite Reception”
message.
Options
Satellite Page Options Menu
Highlight the on-screen button
at the top of the page & press
in on the CLICK STICK.
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7
To select the ‘ Use With GPS Off’ option:
1. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the Option Menu
button at the top of the pa e and then press it in to
display the Options Menu.
2. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the ‘Use With
GPS Off’ option and then press it in to activate.
The eTrex Vista stops trackin satellites and should
not be used for navi ation. However, the next time
you turn the unit on, it returns to Normal GPS
operation.
To select ‘ Track Up’ or ‘ North Up’:
1. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the Option Menu
button at the top of the pa e and then press it in to
display the Options Menu.
2. Hi hli ht either the ‘Track Up’ or ‘North Up’ option
(dependin on which is currently in use), and press
in on the CL CK ST CK to activate.
To enter a new location:
1. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the Option Menu
button at the top of the pa e and then press it in to
display the Options Menu.
2. Hi hli ht ‘New Location’ and press in on the
CL CK ST CK to display choices of ‘Auto’ or ‘Use
Map’.
If you choose ‘Auto’ the eTrex Vista determines your
new location automatically.
If you choose ‘Use Map’ a map pa e displays with
instructions statin , “Point to your approximate
location and press ENTER”. Use the CL CK ST CK
to move the map pointer to your location on the
map and press it in.
To select ‘ Show GPS Elevation’:
1. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the Option Menu
button at the top of the pa e and then press it in to
display the Options Menu.
2. Use the CL CK ST CK to hi hli ht the ‘Show GPS
Elevation’ option, and press in to view the elevation
based on GPS information.
Satellite
The Satellite Page
Options Menu
‘North Up Skyview Orientation
“GPS Off”
Message
‘Use Map option helps to speed
acquisition.
Options
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8
Navigating
Active Navigatio is supported by three of the six
Mai Pages: the Map Page, Navigatio Page a d Trip
Computer Page.
The Map Page graphically shows you map details,
your curre t locatio , marks your route to a desti atio
with a route li e, a d leaves a trail (track log) of where
you’ve bee .
The Navigatio Page tells you what directio to go
a d the directio you are traveli g.
The Trip Computer Page records a d displays travel
data, such as the dista ce you have traveled, your speed,
the time spe t movi g or stopped, a d other optio s ca
be chose to display the elevatio , the time of day or the
time remai i g before reachi g a desti atio .
There are four methods of avigati g whe usi g the
eTrex Vista a d each is graphically displayed o the Map
Page.
Goto - A direct path to a selected desti atio
(waypoi t, city, address, etc.).
Track - A previous path of travel that has bee stored
(logged) i the eTrex Vista. A Track allows you to
repeat a path or to retur to your starti g poi t o
the same path usi g the GARMIN TracBack feature.
Route - A path to a desti atio co sisti g of i terme-
diate stops alo g the way (waypoi ts, cities, highway
exits, poi ts of i terest, i tersectio s, etc.).
Travel w en not on a Goto, Track or Route -
This is best described as travel without e teri g a
desti atio i the eTrex Vista. The Map Page displays
your real-time moveme t as you travel with the u it
tur ed o a d receivi g satellites.
A Route
A Track
A Goto
Travel when not on a Goto,
Track, or Route as indicated
by the ‘Pointer Icon and a
dotted line indicating your
path of travel.
Navigating with
eTrex Vista
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9
The Map Page displays your prese t positio a d directio of moveme t usi g a
tria gular ‘Positio Ico ’ that is ce tered o the map. As you travel the map display
leaves a “trail” (track log) of your moveme ts.
The map also displays geographic details such as rivers, lakes, highways, a d tow s.
The map show above displays a higher level of detail tha the basemap provided with
the u it (i.e. reside tial streets, parks, etc.), because GARMIN MapSource data has bee
dow loaded to the u it usi g a CD-ROM mappi g program.
To allow you to view the map from differe t perspectives, the scale ca be cha ged
from 120 feet to 500 miles. The ZOOM IN a d OUT butto s o the side of the u it
allow you to zoom I or Out o the map. Pressi g a d holdi g these butto s causes the
scale to cha ge rapidly i stead of cha gi g i i creme ts. The IN butto displays less
area but more map detail, while the OUT butto shows you a larger area with less map
detail.
A Status Wi dow at the top of the page provides you with curre t satellite tracki g
a d positio accuracy i formatio .
Map
Position Icon
Status Window
Map Scale
Map Features
On-Screen
Pa e and Option
Menu Buttons
The Main Page
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10
Map
The Map Page
The Map Page shows your prese t positio a d direc-
tio of moveme t as a tria gular ‘Positio Ico ’, i the
ce ter of the map. As you travel, the map display leaves a
“trail” (track log) of where you’ve bee . The map display
also shows the map scale a d geographic details such as
lakes, rivers, highways, a d tow s.
Use the ZOOM IN a d OUT butto s to cha ge
the map scale i order to show more map area with less
detail or less map area with more detail. Press a d hold
to ZOOM the map scale rapidly. The map scale i the
lower left ha d side of the display is show i u its of
measureme t selected i the ‘U its’ fi eld of the U it Setup
Page ( ot to be co fused with the Map Setup Page). If
you zoom i so far that the resolutio of the map data
is exceeded a d the appeara ce of the map is o lo ger
accurate, the word, “ overzoom” displays just below the
map scale.
I ma y i sta ces the map displays a ‘ Accuracy
Circle’ surrou di g the ‘ Positio Ico ’. The eTrex Vista
uses both map resolutio a d GPS accuracy i defi i g
your locatio to a poi t withi the circle. The smaller the
circle, the more accurate your locatio .
Whe usi g the ‘ Pa Map’ feature, a small outli e
arrow (Map Poi ter) ca be moved about the page to
highlight a d ide tify map items or to scroll the map to
view areas ot show o the display scree .
A Status Field at the top of the page provides satellite
tracki g a d locatio accuracy i formatio .
Two optio al Data fi elds at the bottom of the page
ca be programmed to provide a variety of travel a d
avigatio i formatio .
More detailed map features as well as i formatio
about those features ca be dow loaded to the u it from
a GARMIN MapSource CD-ROM. Whe usi g MapSource
data, the word ‘mapsource’ displays below the map scale
whe ever you zoom i to view map details.
Map Features
Accuracy Circle
Panning Arrow
(Map Pointer)
The Main Page
Zoom In
Zoom Out
Map Scales
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